Address plate printer



June 6, 1939.

E. .1 VON PEIN ADDRESS PLATE PRINTER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec.

1NvENToR BY j' FIG. 1.

ATTORNEY ,3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR June 6, 1939. E. 1 voN PEIN l ADDRESS PLATE PRINTER Filed Dec. 23, 1936 Junev 6, 1939. v E1 lv VON PElN 2,161,602

ADDRESS PLATE PRINTER INVENTOR @my ffm;

' TTORNEY Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADDRESS PLATE PRINTER Application December 23, 1936, Serial No. 117,264

6 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines o'i the kind using customers tokens used as identiilcation for charge accounts by and using said token for applying the customers name and address on the sales slips of the salesmans manifold book.

The main object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in a hand-operated printing machine of the above described character which avoids direct contact oi the eustomers token or address printing' plate with the ink or imprinting medium whereby the token may be returned to the customer in unsoiled condition and the possibility of soiling the customers hand or gloves may be avoided.

In the present embodiment of the invention the hand-operated printing machine co-operates with the sales slips to record on the latter in legible form data specific to the customer such as the customers name and address. The printing machine includes; a token of a size and shape convenient to be carried by the customer and bearing in legibly embossed characters the desired sales data; a. plurality of sales slips with interventing carbon sheets for effecting multiple printing; a device for readily associating the sales slips and tokens, and a manually-operated means for conveniently operating the printing instrumentalities to effect 'efficient and legible printing operations.

A still further object of the invention is to devise a simple means for carrying the inserted token-and placing it in proper relationship with carbon paper coated on one side with carbon which is intimately associated with the underside of a sales slip so that direct contact between the carboned side and the address plate is prevented.

A still further object of the invention is to devise a carriage for carrying a plurality `of sales slips and a means for manually reciprocating the carriage so that a rotating platen roller will eiect the printing impression. The use of a single roller is advantageous since it permits even printing on all portions of the sales slips.

A still further object is to devise an operating connectionbetween the carriage and the roller rotating means so that the roller is rotated by movement of the carriage as the carriage is moved for printing operations.

A still further object is to include an arrangement that moves the roller out of engagement with the sales slip after the printing impression is completed whereby the carriage may be returned idly. By such means only a single impression is made contrasting to prior art arrangements wherein a roller eiects a double imprint, and very often adjacent imprints which aiect the legibility of the printing impression.

A still further object is to provide an arrangement and construction of token that will permit the use oi only certain tokens in a printing machine. As herein carried out projections stamped out from the address plate cooperate with special means in the machine of a store and unless there is a coincidence prevents its use in effecting the printing impression, thus to inform the salesman whether or not the customer has a charge account at the store where the token is presented.

The best embodiment of the invention at present known is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved printing device, the casing having been removed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the improved customers token.

Fig. 6 is an end view of said token.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the carbon paper holder.

Sales slip carriage The machine framework comprises a base plate I0 and integral side plates II and I2, (Fig. 4).

The sales slip carriage comprises a left side rail I3 and a right side rail I4 and to the front ends of said rails there is attached an operating handle I5. At the opposite ends of the rails and beneath said rails there is secured a cross plate I6. The latter with the handle provide a rigid framework for the slidable sales slip carriage.

To the bottom of the base plate I0 there is secured a pair of parallel bars I'I and I8 and the latter and the rails I3 and I4 are formed to receive and act as a retainer for a standard typewriter roller bearing I9. In this manner by handle I5 the sales slip carriage may be reciprocated in the framework.

Attached to the side rails I3 and Il is a plate 20 which has an integral portion 2| bent upwardly and upon which sales slips to be addressed are placed. The integral portion 2| carries a pair of pins 22 which are received by perforations in the margin of the sales slips to properly locate them on the carriage. A bar 23 is attached to the right end oi the carriage and also carries a pin 24 for a similar purpose.

Attached to the plate 20 is a backing plate 25 for a customers identication printing plate 26. It will be seen that the top surface oi the plate 2I, the address printer` plate 26 and the bar 23 are substantially in the same plane so that the sales slip is evenly located thereon for providing legible printing impressions.

Pressure roller To the side rail |4 there is attached a bracket 21 (Fig. 1) carrying a pin 28 which is the pivot for a gear rack bar 29 provided with gear rack teeth 30 and at its underside with ratchet teeth 3| for a full stroke device.

By means of parallel upward integral extensions 3| and 32 of the side plates l0 and a rod 33 is carried and said rod is the pivot for a pair of bell cranks 34 which are tied together rearwardly by a rod 35 and at the forward arms by a shaft 36 to which is secured, a resilient impression roller 31, a gear 38, and at the end of the shaft a circular disk 39.

As best shown in Fig. 2 the gear meshes with the rack teeth 39 and a spring 45 connected between the rod 35 and a rod 4| carried by the side plates 3| and 32 maintains the meshing relationship during the rearward and forward movement of the carriage. To further insure such engagement the rack bar 29 is provided with a longitudinal rail 42 over which the circular disk 39 rolls. Depending from the shaft 38 is an arm 43 carrying a roller 44 which engages the bottom edge of the rail 42. In this manner the gear 38 and rack teeth 30 are kept in continuous mesh during the rearward and forward movement of the carriage.

Customers identification printing plate and carbon paper holder I'he carbon paper holder comprises a plate 45 provided with a rectangular aperture 45 and a pair of bent ears (Fig. 7) 41 through the holes of which passes a shaft 48 carried by the rails I3 and 4 to provide a pivot for the carbon paper holder.

As shown in Fig. 4 the plate 23 has an integral depending portion 49 which together with a spring plate 50 attached to the underside of the plate 20 pivotally carry a roll of carbon paper, the end of which passes around a curved guide portion 5| of the plate 45, over the aperture 48 of the plate 45 and between the forward edge of the plate 45 and a spring plate 52 (Figs. 1 and '7) which holds the end of the carbon paper against the plate 45 and functions as a tearing edge.

A rectangular spring wire bail 53 has its rear ends wound around the shaft 48 and so connected as to resiliently force the spring wire bail against the under surface of the plate 45 so that when the carbon paper holder is manually rocked the spring wire bail will move with it, although the plate 45 and spring wire bail may be relatively separated for the interposition of a printing plate as will be later explained.

Customers identification printing plate Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 reference character 54 designates an address printing plate having raised printing characters 55 in reversed order and which characters are formed in a raised portion 55 of the plate 54. A border 51 is formed on the four sides of the raised portion 55. The indentations in the under surface of the raised portion formed by the raised type are preferably lled in white so that the name and address are easily readable. 'Ihe flanged border carries a pair of pins 58 which va'ry in number and location so that only certain address printing plates can be used in printing machines of certain stores.

Operation 'I'he carbon paper holder is first rocked about its pivot 48 and the address printing plate from which printing is to be eifected is inserted between the spring wire bail 53 and the bottom of the plate 45 and if the carbon plate holder is rocked sumciently the back of the address printing plate is in view to permit reading of the characters. 'I'he address printing plate can be placed in the desired position to register with the blank portion of the sales slips to be printed. In Fig. 1 it is shown in the extreme rearward position. The carbon paper holder is then restored to its lower position with the carbonized face of the vcarbon paper upward. or in other words, the plain face of the carbon paper is in contact with the raised printing type.

A book of one or more sales slips with carbons interleaved with the sales slips is placed upon the carriage with their holes receiving the pins 22 and 24. The underside of the bottom slip will be in immediate contact with the carbonized face of the carbon paper, and each interposed carbon has its carbonized face in immediate contact with the underface of the sales slip just above it, so that for each sales slip to be printed upon the printing will be effected underneath. For this reason the book of sales slips is placed on the carriage with the printed face down.

The handle I5 is then grasped and the carriage with the soles slips are moved rearwardly and the rack bar 29 will rotate the gear 38 and turn the printing roller 31 which being under pressure by the spring presses each sales slip down against the adjacent carbon and all against the raised printing type. The resiliency of the platen and the lraised printing type will eiect a printing impression on the under surface of each sales slip.

Coacting with the ratchet teeth 3| is a springurged pawl 50 pivoted on the side plate |2 which engages the successive teeth of the rack bar 29 as the carriage is moved rearwardly preventing the carriage from being drawn back until the carriage is moved rearwardly a full stroke. When the carriage is pushed all the way back a pair of inclined portions 5| (Figs. 1 and 7) of the plate coacts with the periphery of the roller 31 causing the frame carrying the roller to rock about pivot 33 and in so doing a halfilattened stud 52 (Fig. 2) carried by one of the bell cranks 34 will be elevated. A spring 53 connected to a latch arm B4 will thereupon rock the latter so as to engage the stud 52 thus holding the roller carrying frame in rocked position and above the upper surface of the top sales slip.

An extensin 55 of the latch arm 54 coacts with a lug 55 of an extension of the pawl 50 and when the latch arm is rocked it rocks the pawl so as to disengage it from the ratchet teeth 3| to permit the sales slip carriage to be restored forwardly, and with the printing roller 31 outv of coaction with the upper surface of the top sales slip during such restoration so as to prevent overprinting.

When the carriage approaches its normal position as it is drawn yforwardly a pin 51 carried by the rack bar 29 will engage the pawl 60 rocking it counterclockwise so that its lug Will rock the latch arm 54 clockwise disengaging it from the stud 52 and permitting spring. to rock the platen roller carrying the frame to normal position. 'Ihe pawl 50 is now in position to engage the ratchet teeth 3| to cause a full stroke'of the sales slip carriage during its succeeding rearward movement.

aie-1,602

Selective means to permit printing from predetermined printing plates Formed in the carbon paper holder plate 45 is used in connection with a certain machine.

- When all the pins 58. register with the holes on each side ofthe plate 45 the raised printing characters will project from the upper surface of the plate 45 so as to be contacted by the periphery of the roller 31.

However, upon the insertion of a. printing plate having pins 58 which do not register with the holes of the plate 45 it will Abe seen that when the carbon plate holder is rocked 'to printing position,- the side of the plate 45 not having a. hole to register with a pin of the plate 45 will not properly seat on the plate 20 so that either side or flange of the plate 45 will be retained elevated causing the printing roller 31 to be immediately rocked upwardly to latched position when the carriage is initially'moved rearwardly. In this manner a printing impression from undesired printing plates is prevented. l

The normal restoration of the sales slip carrlage will unlatch the printing roller as previously described. It can also be effected by manually rocking the latch arm 64 by a stud l0 attached thereto; and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The abf sence of an imprint in the sales slips will indicate to the operator that an improper printing plate has been employed.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.'

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A machine for printing sales data specic to a customer on a sales slip comprising, a manually reciprocable carriage, means carried by said carriage for carrying an inking medium and d e tachably holding aprinting plate and a sales slip to be imprinted which are Vmanually positioned thereon, means for eecting a printing impression from said printing plate comprising a rotatable platen roller normally out of operative relation with said carriage to enable a free manual positioning of the sales slip and printing plate thereon, a driving means for said platen roller comprising means carried by the carriage and. operated by the manual movement of said carriage for rotating said platen roller as said platen roller presses the sales slip and inking medium against type carriers of said printing plate, a frame carrying said platen roller, and means rendered effective by said carriage at the extremity of its movement for effecting the printing impression for holding said frame in elevated position to retain the platen roller out of cooperative relation with said sales slip during the return movement of said carriage.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which said driving means comprises a driving rack carried by thecarriage meshing with a gear rotatable with said platen roller, and said means for holding and retaining the platen roller elevated comprises a latching means for said frame, and means carried by said carriage for rendering the latching means eil'ective at the extremity of the movement of said carriage in one direction and ineffective at the extremity of the movement of the carriage in the other direction.

3. A machine according to claim 1 in which said inking medium comprises a sheet of carbon drawn from a supply roll, and the means for carrying the inking medium comprises, an apertured plate pivoted` in said carriage over which the carbon strip is positioned' to cause the carbon sheet to be interposed between the sales slip and the printing plate registering with the aperture,

said carbon sheet having its carboned surface in intimate contact with the undersurface of the sales slip whereby the printing plate is free of any contact with the ink.

4. A machine for selectively printing identication data from a printing plate provided with identiiication control means comprising, a manually movable carriage carrying; a sales slip, an inking means and said printing plate, a platen roller normally out of cooperative relation with the carriage for pressing the sales slip against said inking medium and printing plate by the movement of said carriage, a base plate of said carriage on which a plate to be used with the machine and printed therefrom rests, a' plate holder carried by said carriage and provided with means interiitting with identification control means carried by the printing plate to enable the plate holder to properly4 hold the printing plate on the base plate when there is an interiltting of cooperative parts of the plate holder and printing plate, wherebysaid platen roller may effect a printing impression from said printing plate on the sales slip.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which said plate holder is pivoted in'said carriage and is provided with control apertures receiving identification control pins carried by the printing plates to be used with the machine, the absence of a`n intertting condition causing said plate holder to be elevated above a normal position, means for supporting said platen roller, and means comprising part of said holder for causing at the start of the manuall movement of the carrlage when said plate holder is elev ited above normal the elevation of said supporting means to prevent the platen roller from contacting with said sales slip whereby a printing impression from a printing plate not adapted to be used ywith the machine is prevented.

6. A machine according to claim 4 in which said inking medium comprises a carbon sheet carried by said printing plate holder and provided with control apertures receiving identiiicatioxr control pins carried by the printing plates to be used with the machine, said plate and inking medium holder being adapted to be retained elevated above its normal position in the absence of interiltting parts of the plate and holder, a frame carrying said platen roller, and means comprising part of said holder for causing at the start of lthe manual movement of said car' rlage when said holder is elevated above its normal position the elevation of said frame to prevent the platen roller from contacting with sald sales slip whereby a printing impression from a printing plate not adapted to be used with the machine is prevented.

EDWARD J. VON PElN.

M TF-ICATEOF CORRECTION. Patent lo. 2,161,602. lJune 6, 1959. r EDWARD J. -voN PEIN.

It is certified'that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "American Business Machines Gorpo'ration" whereas said name should have been described and specified as International Business Machines Corporation,

of Neri York, N. Y., a corporatien'of New, York, as shown by the record of assignments inthis office; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be readwith Ythis correction ltherein that the same may conform to the record ef the casein the Patent Office.

signed im sealed this 25th day of July, A. D. 1959.

I Y s Henry Van Arsdale, (seal) A Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

